Minnesotans Build Their Legacy With 53 New Historical And Cultural Heritage Grants

From oral histories to preserving historic buildings, Minnesotans are hard at work celebrating their legacy now and building it for the future.

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Montevideo American-News

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Posted Nov. 27, 2012 at 2:20 PM
Updated Nov 27, 2012 at 2:24 PM

Posted Nov. 27, 2012 at 2:20 PM
Updated Nov 27, 2012 at 2:24 PM

From oral histories to preserving historic buildings, Minnesotans are hard at work celebrating their legacy now and building it for the future. The Minnesota Historical Society today announced it has awarded 53 Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage grants of up to $7,000, totaling $311,520 in 34 counties.

The Society also announced that the next grants deadline is January 11, 2013, which may be the final deadline for this biennium depending upon available funds. The Grants Manual is available at legacy.mnhs.org/grants. Applications are accepted only through the Society’s grants portal at grants.mnhs.org.

“Most grant projects in this latest round build upon on earlier work, richly extending Minnesota’s history and legacy for future generations,” said David Grabitske, manager of outreach services for the Minnesota Historical Society. “These projects wisely use the power of history to transform lives and communities – whether it’s exploring a recently restored building or reading a historic newspaper article about a once-forgotten relative.”

Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants are made possible by the Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on Nov. 4, 2008. The amendment supports efforts to preserve Minnesota land, water and legacy, including Minnesota history and cultural heritage.

Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grant Recipients

Each Historical and Cultural Heritage Grant project will preserve and enhance Minnesota’s cultural and historical resources. The grants are administered according to professional standards and criteria. The latest round of recipients of “Fast Track” Grants listed in alphabetical order by county are:

Frederick W. Kiesling House Preservation Planning: To hire qualified professionals to write a structural assessment of the Frederick W. Kiesling House, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Carver County, Carver County Historical Society, $4,800

MNopedia Carver County Entries: To create five Carver County entries for the MNopedia project for online research.

Clearwater County, Clearwater County Historical Society, $6,800

Evaluate HVAC System in Museum: To hire a qualified and experienced HVAC engineer to evaluate current system preparatory to better control of the Clearwater County History Museum environment.

Crow Wing County, Cuyuna Iron Range Heritage Network, $4,900

Charley's Interactive Historical Preservation Project: To add to an existing exhibit the insightful audio reminiscences by Charley Fletcher of the Great War period in Crow Wing County.

Dakota County, Heritage Organization of Romanian Americans in Minnesota, $7,000

Romanian Immigration & Traditions Oral History Project: To document in 10 interviews the history of Romanian immigration to the Twin Cities.

Douglas County, Douglas County Historical Society, $7,000

Acquire Microfilm Reader/Scanner: To make accessible primary records through a new microfilm reader/printer.

Faribault County, Blue Earth Community Library/City of Blue Earth, $7,000

Acquire Microfilm Scanner: To make accessible primary records through a new microfilm reader/printer.

Fillmore County, City of Lanesboro, $7,000

Conditions Assessment Report for the Sons of Norway Heimbygda Lodge: To hire qualified professionals to write a structural assessment of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church Hall, a contributing resource in the Lanesboro Historic District, listed in the National Register of Historic Places and current home to the Sons of Norway Heimbygda Lodge.

Hennepin County, Artspace Projects, Inc., $7,000

Minneapolis Masonic Temple Restoration Consultation: To prepare construction documents for the preservation and restoration of the Masonic Temple (Minneapolis), listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Hennepin County, Bloomington Historical Society, $4,000

Evaluation to Determine Eligibility for National Register: To hire a qualified historian to evaluate the Bloomington Municipal Cemetery for possible inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

Hennepin County, City of Greenfield, $7,000

Greenwood/Greenfield Oral History: Remembering the Fine Resorts and Dance Halls: To document in approximately 10 interviews the early history of Greenfield Village.

New Interpretive Plan for Diorama: Moose at Basswood Lake: To prepare a comprehensive interpretive plan for better public access to and care of historically significant natural history dioramas.

Hennepin County, Richfield Historical Society, $7,000

Bartholomew House Single Room Reinterpretation (Area 3.2): To fabricate and install in the Riley Bartholomew House an exhibit on residential life over time in one suburb.

Hennepin County, St. Anthony Village Historical Society, $5,000

Transcription of St. Anthony Township Minutes, 1859-1945: To transcribe for web accessibility St. Anthony Township records from 1859-1945.

Hennepin County, The Cowles Center, $7,000

Page 3 of 5 - Planning for Interpretive Exhibit: History of the Former Shubert Theater: To prepare an interpretive plan for better public access to the history of the former Shubert Theater, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Hennepin County, The Film Society of Minneapolis-St. Paul, $7,000

Rediscovering John Berryman Documentary: To assemble historical resources pertaining to John Berryman preparatory to a documentary film.

Hennepin County, Twin Cities Media Alliance, $6,440

Along the Corridor: An Oral History of University Avenue Business Owners Navigating Change: To document in 10 interviews the history of immigrant businesses along University Avenue in St. Paul.

Houston County, Jefferson Township, $7,000

Manuscript Publication for Winnebago Creek Valley in Southeastern Minnesota: To publish the book "History of the Winnebago Valley."

Kandiyohi County, Peace Lutheran Church, $2,730

Lebanon Lutheran Church Evaluation for National Register Eligibility: To hire a qualified historian to evaluate the Lebanon Church for possible inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

Lake of the Woods County, Depot Preservation Alliance, $7,000

If These Bricks Could Talk: Signatures and Stories Exhibit: To create and install an exhibit bringing to light the absent narratives behind 129 graffiti signatures in the soft yellow bricks of the Canadian National Railways Depot, listed in the National Register of Historic Places and currently used as a cultural center.

Oxley Photo Collection Stabilization: To provide basic processing and rehousing of the photographic and negative collections of W.T. Oxley and Lloyd Oxley for public accessibility.

Ramsey County, American Aviation Heritage Foundation, $1,909

History of Northwestern Aeronautical Corporation: To organize, catalog, and prepare a finding aid for documents, photographs, and other records relating to glider manufacture at Villaume Box & Lumber Co. in St. Paul during World War II.

Ramsey County, Friends for a Non-Violent World, $7,000

Peace and Justice Leaders Oral History Project: To document in 10 interviews the history of Minnesota leaders in the peace and justice movement.

Ramsey County, HAND in HAND Productions, $7,000

Saint Paul Police Oral History Project Phase Seven: To document in 3 interviews the history of St. Paul Police officers.

Ramsey County, Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, $6,600

University Avenue's Car Culture in the Mid-Late 20th Century Research Project: To assemble historical resources pertaining to the car culture of University Avenue in St. Paul preparatory to an interpretive memorial installation.

New Land, New Life: Norwegian Immigrants in Minnesota, 1825-1925 Exhibit: To fabricate and install the exhibit "New Land, New Life" that documents the first 100 years of Norwegian immigration to Minnesota.

Ramsey County, White Bear Lake Area Historical Society, $7,000

Acquire Digital Microfilm Reader/Printer: To make accessible primary records through a new microfilm reader/printer.

Redwood County, Redwood County Historical Society, $6,200

Redwood County Museum - HVAC System Evaluation: To hire a qualified and experienced HVAC engineer to evaluate current system preparatory to better control of the Redwood County History Museum environment.

Redwood County, Wabasso Public Library, $7,000

Acquire Microfilm Reader/Printer: To make accessible primary records through a new microfilm reader/printer.

Rice County, Carleton College, $7,000

The Minnesota Liberal Arts College Student Experience in the 1960s: Carleton College 1968. To assemble historical resources and draft an essay pertaining to history of residential experience at small liberal arts colleges in the 1960s.

Rice County, Northfield Arts Guild, $5,600

The History of Community Theater Productions of the Northfield Arts Guild, 1959-2011: To assemble historical resources pertaining to 50 years of theater productions, 1959-2012, preparatory to digitization.

Page 5 of 5 -

Rice County, Northfield Historical Society, $7,000

Northfield History Collaborative Preservation Assessment, Training and Treatments for NHC Institutional Members’ Collections: To improve collections care and storage of Northfield history at 11 organizations.

Rice County, Northfield Public Library, $7,000

History of the Northfield Public Library: To draft a full length manuscript on the institutional history of Northfield Public Library.

Korean War B Company Marines Oral History Project: To document in 10 interviews the history of "B" Company, 4th Marine Battalion, in the Korean War.

Stearns County, Great River Regional Library, $6,485

Great River Regional Library Microfilm/fiche Reader: To make accessible primary records through a new microfilm reader/printer.

Swift County, Preserve Appleton’s Heritage Inc., $4,758

Restoration of Gethsemane Church Wing: To complete interior restoration of Gethsemane Episcopal Church, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Wabasha County, Wabasha County Historical Society, $3,275

Microfilm Wabasha County Newspapers: To microfilm and make accessible three newspaper Wabasha County newspapers, 1905-1953.

Waseca County, Waseca County Historical Society, $6,500

Hofmann Honey Farm Evaluation for National Register Eligibility: To hire a qualified historian to evaluate the Hoffmann Honey Farm (Janesville Township) for possible inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

Winona County, Winona State University, $6,400

National Register Nomination for Phelps and Somsen Halls: To hire a qualified historian to complete the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places for Phelps and Somsen Halls on the campus of Winona State University.

Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants

The Society received a 2011 legislative appropriation to award a total of $10.5 million in Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants during the 2012 and 2013 fiscal years. The grants provide an unprecedented opportunity for non-profit and educational organizations, government units and tribal organizations to preserve and share the state’s history and cultural heritage.

Grants are available for history and historic preservation projects in three tiers: “Fast Track” Grants of $7,000 or less, Mid-Size Grants between $7,001 and $50,000, and Large Grants of more than $50,001. For more information on the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grants program, including application deadlines, visit http://legacy.mnhs.org/grants.

About the Minnesota Historical Society

The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. The Society collects, preserves and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, the Society preserves our past, shares our state’s stories and connects people with history.